MULBERRIES. 



year, the layers may be removed from the stools and 

 planted out in rows, three feet apart, and a foot from 

 plant to plant in the rows : those intended for training 

 against walls may be planted out at once for the pur- 

 pose, and the richer the soil is in which they are planted 

 the more rapid will be the progress of the trees. 



Pruning and Training. 



Mulberries are principally planted as standards in 

 orchards, and upon grass plots in the pleasure garden. 

 In the selection of a tree for this purpose make choice 

 of one that is straight in the stem, and free from 

 blemishes, with a head of three or four well placed re- 

 gular shoots ; should there be more they must be cut 

 out. 



When the tree has been planted a year, and got firm 

 hold of the soil, these shoots should be cut down to 

 three or four inches, from each of which two or three 

 clean, straight shoots will probably be produced. In 

 August, four of the strongest and best placed should be 

 selected, and the rest cut out, thus giving the remaining 

 ones a better chance of extending their length, and of 

 ripening their extremities ; besides, with a little addi- 

 tional trouble, if the shoots should not be so well placed 

 as could be wished, their direction can be altered at 

 pleasure, by tying them to small sticks fixed in the head 

 for that purpose. In the following spring, if the four 

 should be of an equal length, they must not be short- 

 ened ; but if one or two be much longer than the other, 

 they must be reduced to the same length, and allowed 

 to grow for another year, when the head should be 

 thinned out, leaving as many of the best placed shoots as 

 will form the head. This being completed, nothing fur- 

 ther will be required than to examine the head from 



R 



